Short Canadian Figure Skater Biographies: Men

I know/have heard absolutely nothing about Gia except that they met at
a skating club in Markham, ON, fell in love and have been together
ever since. So expect everything else here to be about Gary.

Pretty much all of the info herein was gleaned from watching "Adrienne
Clarkson Presents: Gary Beacom: Life on the Edge (or Living on the
Edge or something like that 8)".

Always one to carve his own path, Gary gave up on coaches when he
entered university. He completed a degree in physics and philosophy
while training around an hour a day. He attended the '84 Olympics
"alone", without a coach, and skated brilliantly. He knew that his
work was unlikely to be accepted, and so stood on the ice facing the
judges until the marks were announced. They were low, as he expected.
Overcome by rage he kicked the boards, putting a hole in them, and
trapping his blade so that he had to work to get it out again. Not
long after this he turned pro, where he is much happier.

Gary believes strongly in figures and has researched "ancient figures"
(non-8 type figures). He also disagrees with current wisdom over how
boots should be designed. He believes that the strength should be in
the ankle, not the boot. When he breaks in a new pair of boots, one
of the first things he does is file off part of the side of the sole
and blade plate so that they don't interfere with his deepest edges
(which makes one wonder if Bourne & Kraatz must do the same).